Well point



I a-1445 fXwEL roiNr Carl W. GerhardtyDayton, Ohio Application ii o't enb fii s, i952, Serial No. 321,140 raisin or. 166-160) This inventionrelates to a well point for use in drilling and obtaining water, oil orother fluids, but is not necessarily so limited. g,

{It is an object of this invention to provide a well point which doesnot permit clogging of its. openings during the drilling process. t, I

Another object of this invention is to provide a well point which hasafilter element with openings adjustable in size. 1

Another object of this invention is to provide a well point which doesnot easily clog while fluids are obtained through it from the ground. 7

A further object of this invention is to provide a well point, thefilter of which cannot easily be contaminated.

further object of thisinvention isto providea well point, the filter ofwhich may beeasily cleaned, it any degreeof'clogging exists. v

Still another object of this invention is to provide a filter which. maybe constructed to withstand usage throughout along period of timewithout breaking or becoming damaged. I v

Other objects and advantages reside in the construction of parts, thecombination thereof and the mode of operation, as will become moreapparent from the follow-' ing description. v g

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal view of thelwell point witha portion of the'well' point device shown in sectional view. Figured,shows the well point device as it' is used during the drilling process.

Figure 2' is a fragmentary, longitudinal view with ah'portion of thedevice shown'in sectional ,view. Figure 2 showsthe relative position ofthe components of the well point device after they have been adjusted inthe ground for obtaining fluids through it.

Referring in detail to the drawings,'.a point 10 is slidably attached toa pipe section '12 by means of a shank 14 and a pin 16. The'shank 14 isinserted into the end of thepipe section 12. A portion of the pin 16 isfirmly attached in the shank 14. The other end of the 16 isloo selyfitted intoa vertical slot 18 which terminates in the pipe section 12'.I I a I A plurality of orifices 20 are cut through the wall of the pipesection 12 through which ,fluidsmay flow if the orifices 20 areuncovered by the, turns of a helical spring 22. The helical spring 22closely encirclesthe pipe section1 2. Figure 1 shows the spring 22tightly compressed between a shoulder 23 of a collar 24' and a" shoulder26 of the'point 10. ,'The collar,24, which may consist of an ordinarypipe coupling, is fixedly attached to the pipe section 12. It may alsobe observed in Figure 1 that the shoulder'26 of point 10 is in contactwith the lower end of the pipesection 12. I

The position of the components, as shown in Figure 1, is that positionwhich is maintained during the drilling process. The spring 22 is sotightly compressed that there isno space between the turns of 'it'to,allow entrance of dust, dirt-sand, gravel, or other'foreign material tothe orifices 20 as the well point device is forced into the ground withthe point 10 cutting an entrancethrough the ground.- The act of forcingthe well point device through the ground eauses the shoulder, 26 of thepoint 10 to lie firmly against the lower end of the pipe section 12. Thespring 22 is of shoulder .26 of the point 10'abuts the lower, end of thepipe section 12, the spring 20 will be entirely compressed;

The orifices .20 are then entirely closed by the spring When the properdepth for the well point device has been. reached, it isdesir'ed to openthe orifices 20 to allow a flow of fluid through them. The orifices 20can be opened by forcing only the point lofarther into,tl' ie. ground.This can be accomplished by driving on the.

end surface 30 of the shank 14 by any suitable means extendingdownwardly throughthe'pipe section 12. This. causes the point 10 to movefarther into the ground while the other components of the well pointdevice remain, at the prepositioned depth. As the point 10smovesfarther.

downward with respect to the other componentsjthe shoulder 26 moves awayfrom the lower end of the pipe.

the lower end of the slot' 18-which guides the move-..

ment of the pin 16.

Often the well point deviceis used in veryhard soils which may retainthe spring member so tightly thatit.

will not expand as the point 10 and the collar 24 are further separated.When used in such hard ground, the spring 26 is fixedly attached tto thepoint 10 and to the collar 24. Thereby the spring is forced to expandas. the distance betwen the point 10 and the collari24is,

increased. t

Another method of pipe section 12 including the collar 24.- The pointa10then remains at the prepositioned depth; The increased distancebetweenthe shoulder 23 of the collar 24: andthe shoulder 26 of the p0int1 0 allows expansionsof thef spring 22. The spring 22 may also beexpandedby forcing fluid downwardlyin the pipe section 12. This. causesdownward movementof the point 10, thus increasingthe distance betweenthe point 10 and the collar 24, which allows expansion of the spring 22.seen that this procedure also provides an excellent-cleam ing action, inthat it serves to move the spring 22-at the time when fluid is flowingin reverse directionthr'ough the turns of the spring 22.

. As shown in Figure 2, the expansion of the-spring.22

allows space between each turn of the spring 22. When space existsbetween the turns of the spring 22, the orifices 20 are partiallyuncovered. This makes it possible for fluids to flow through theorifices 20 and upwardly through i the pipe section 12. The extent towhich the orificesare uncovered depends upon the-permitted expansion ofthe spring 22. -A very high degree of accuracy and control may bemaintained in the opening between turns'of the spring 22 by expansion.Each movement of thepoint 10 beyond the lower end of the pipe section-12 must be: divided by-the number of turns of the spring 22 to' deter--mine the change in distance between each turnof the. spring 22.- Inother words, each small increment of movement of the point 10 means thatthe distance between;

each turn has changed the amount of the incrementadi vided by the numberof turnsof the spring 22.

The expansion of the spring 22 maybe adjusted-with, slight openingsbetween turns in sandy locations, whilethe spring 22. may beexpandedfurther to allowmore; space between turns in gravel or in rockylocations. The",

I spring 22 can be easily and accurately adjusted as -;de-.

sired.

Patented May 8, I

such length that when the obtainingexpansion of the spring 4 22 is thatof partially withdrawing from the ground'ithe- It maybe.

'Iliepreferredembodiment shows the spring 22 of trapezoidal crosssection.

The spring 22 also acts as a filter or screen over the orifices 20. Thisresults in a filter which cannot easily become contaminated or clogged.The opening between each turn is a lengthy helical opening. Theseopenings tend to cause foreign material to move away from the orifices20 and not remain over these orifices.

The orifices 20 cannot become clogged during the drilling process due tothe fact that they are completely covered by thespring 22. The orifices20 will not easily clog while fluids are flowing from the ground throughthe orifices 20. This is attributed to filtering action of the spring 22and the shape of the openings between turns. of the spring 2 2.

The components of the well point device are of a type which may be soconstructed that they may withstand long term use without deteriorationor damage. This well' point device readily lends itself to usage in anytype of soil or ground.

Although the device has been described as consisting ofa coilsurrounding a pipe provided with apertures, any other suitable structuremay. be used instead of the, pipe for holding the convolutions of thecoil properly aligned during the drilling operation.

Although the preferred embodiment of the device has been described, itwill be understood that within the purview of this invention variouschanges may be made in the form, details, proportion and arrangement ofparts, the combination thereof and mode of operation, which generallystated consist in a device capable of carrying out the objects setforth, as disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a well point device having a conical point with a shank of smallercross section than the largest part of the conical point thereby forminga shoulder between the shank and the conical point, a pipe sectionhaving a plurality of orifices and a slot-formed in the wall of the pipesection, the shank being slidably positioned in one end of the pipesection, a pin fixedly attached in the shank of the conical point, thepin extending from the shank into the slot formed in the wall of thepipe section, the pin being slidably movable within the slot, a collarfixedly attached around the pipe section at a position on the pipesection at a distance from'the orifices, and a helical spring encirclingthe pipe section, one end of the helical spring abutting-the collar andthe other end of the helical spring abutting the shoulder of the conicalpoint, the spring. being compressible toclose the orifices andexpandable to open the orificesv to any desired degree, the spring alsoacting as a "filter of the fluids flowing through the orifices.

2. In a well point device havinga pipe section provided with a pluralityof orifices and a longitudinal slot formed in the wall of-the pipesection, the longitudinalslot having both ends thereof terminating inthe pipe section, a cortical point including a shank of .smallercrosssection than thegreatest cross section of the conical point therebyforming a shoulder between the conical point and the shank, the shankbeing slidably positioned in the pipe section, a pin at a right angle tothe longitudinal axis of the shank, thepin extending into the shankandinto the slot, the pin being slidably movable in the slot therebylimiting the movement. of the conical point with, respect tothe pipesection, a collar around the pipe section fixedly attached to the pipesection at alocation spaced from the orifices, a helical spring closelyencircling the pipe section and disposed over the orifices thereof, thehelical spring abuttingly engaging the shoulder of the conical point andthe collar and being compressed therebetween, the amount of -compressionof the helical springdepending upon the position-of the shoulder of theconical point relative to thecollar, the helical spring acting as aclosure and a filter over the orifices, the degree of closure dependingupon the compression of the helical spring;

3. In a well point device comprising a pipe section, said pipe sectionhaving an orifice and a slot formed in the wall thereof, a relativelyshort collar encircling the pipe section and attached thereto,- ahelical spring encircling the pipe section adjacent the orifice, aconical point including a shank forming a shoulder and slidablypositioned in one end of the pipe section, and a pin attached to theshank and slidably movable in the slot of the wall of the pipe, thehelical spring being compressed between the collar and the shoulder ofthe conical. point, the degree of compression depending uponthe-positionof, the shoulder of the conical point with respect to the collar, thehelical spring acting as a closure and a filter over the orifice, thedegree of closure and the degree of filtering depending upon thecompression of the helical spring.

4. In a well point device comprising a pipe section, said pipe sectionhaving a plurality of orifices formed through the Wall of the pipe,section, a conical point adjustably attached to one end, of said pipesection, sard conical point having a shoulder, a collar attached to theouter surface of the pipe section in spaced relation from the endthereof. to which the conicalpoint is attached, and a helical springencircling the pipe section and cornpres sed between the collar and theshoulder of the C011!- cal point, the degree of compression of thehelical spring depending upon the distance between the shoulder of theconical point andthe collar, the helical spring, acting as a closure andas a filter over the orifices in the wall of the pipe section, thedegree of closure and filtering action depending upon the compressionofthe helical spring.

5. In a well point device including a conduit section having an orificetherein, a conical point movably attached to the conduit section, theconical point having, an abutment shoulder, the conduit section having acollar attached thereto, and a resilient helical. member engaging theshoulder of. the conical point andv the collar of the conduit section,the'helical member encircling the conduit section adjacent the orificeand being adapted to cover the orifice.

6. In a well point assembly comprising a conduit member provided with.an external abutment surface and having an orifice therein, a pointmember movably attached to the conduit, and a helicalresilient spring,member compressedv between the point member and the abutment surfaceadjacent the orifice, the conduit. member also serving as means foradjusting the compression of the helical spring member.

7. In a well point. assembly including a, conduit member and a pointmember movably attached one to. the other, the conduit member having afluid. port therein, each of the membersbeing provided with an abutmentsurface, and a resilient helical member encircling the conduit memberadjacent the fluid port, the helical member being compressed between theabutment surfaces having one end thereof in engagement with the abutmentsurface of the conduit member and the other end thereof in engagementwith the abutment surface of the point member, the interstices betweenthe convolutions of the helical member being openable and closable bymovement of the conduit member with respect to the point member, thehelical member acting as a closure and filter means for the fluid portof the, conduit membenthe degree, of closure and, filtering, by thehelical member depending upon the movement of the conduit member withrespect to the point member.

References Cited in the file of, this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re.4,267 Duck Feb. 21, 1871 77,772 Skilling May 12, 1868 408,487 JewellAug. 6, 1889 1,211,415 Cross Jan. 9, 1917 1,638,731 Hansom Aug. 9, 19271,983,428 Zeidler, Jr Dec. 4, 1934 2,280,054 Beck Apr. 21, 1942

